Welcome to the web page dedicated to Professors and other users of the COOL Platform.
Please feel free to contact us with questions, feedback or comments. We constantly strive to improve this software, and your feedback is always appreciated.

Who is behind COOL?

- The software and server side technolody, called the COOL Platform was created and is currently maintained by Nathaniel Goodyer and Nicolai Siggel of IDEALS, who are currently working with David Harpp and the OSS Office (Dr. Ariel Fenster, Dr. David Harpp and Dr. Joe Schwarcz).
We also have a number of dedicated educators who make sure the lectures get up there. To get in touch with us, please send us an email at
info @ idealsystems .ca (- NOTE: no spaces in actual email). If you need to report a problem, please do so through the HELPDESK here.

What is COOL?

- COOL stands for COurses OnLine.

- COOL can be summed up as a very simple recording tool that enables anyone to record a presentation to the web (as a slideshow or video) within minutes.

What hardware do you need

- Audio: Though any microphone will be able to do the job, for the best results, we usually recommend a wired mono headset. These generally tend to provide the best audio quality since the microphone is close to the mouth. The model we've had very good experience with is from Plantronics (50). These headsets are also perfect for VOIP (Voice Over IP) communication programs, such as Skype.

- Computer: While it's not necessary, we higly recommend use of the Toshiba Portege M200 Tablet PC for presentation. Tablet PCs allow for normal laptop functionality while taking advantage of a pen driven interface. What does this mean? You can very easily annotate your powerpoint slides with "digital ink" and/or do your blackboard work on blank powerpoint slides. This laptop is being formally recommended by McGill and a subsidy for purchasing such a laptop is available. More information about the subsidy can be found in THIS document.

Why use COOL?

- Using COOL has a number of benefits. Primarily, it allows students to review the course material at their convenience. Consequently, this can significantly reduce the number of questions that students might have about a given lecture.